snow leopard

The snow leopard is Panthera uncia or Uncia uncia, a separate species from Panthera pardus, the leopard. Snow leopards have black rosettes on long, thick whitish or buff fur, and they blend well into the snow and rock of the mountains of India, China, and Central Asia. They had never been photographed until 1970. They are solitary, preferring dawn and dusk, and must range widely to find enough food (mountain sheep, ibex, musk deer, wild boar, and marmot, for example, though they will eat domestic livestock if no wild prey is available). They are also suffering habitat depletion and are also hunted for their fur; there may be as few as 4,000 left in the wild.

Snow leopards(Uncia uncia) are unique among cat species in that they do not actually fit into the big cat section or the little cat section. It was previously believed to belong to the Pantheragenus but has been placed firmly in its own genus. It is believed to be an evolutionary link between big and little cats.

Snow leopards have thick, shaggy creamy white to pale ash grey coats with dark rosette markings. They have huge paws that are furred on the underside to prevent snow balling up under the paw pads. Snow leopards have long flexible tails that can be as long as their bodies, for balancing on rocks and slippery surfaces. They can weigh up to 75 kilograms and live for about 17 years.